A computer network generally includes a number of network devices, such as switches, routers, and others, as well as end station devices such as desktop machines, servers, hosts, printers, fax machines, and others. In order for the computer network to function properly, network administrators monitor the various devices, deploying new devices or upgrading existing ones in the network. In addition, the network administrator is responsible for configuration management of the network and manages distribution of software on the network. Typically, a network administrator employs a network management system to accomplish such tasks.
The network management system is a software program, or a combination of hardware and software, that can interrogate the network, present management information, and carry out changes in the network. An example of a commercially available network management system is Cisco Resource Manager, commercially available from Cisco Systems, Inc., San Jose, Calif. This type of network management system may be used to manage a network owned or operated by a large business or institution (“enterprise”).
Many enterprise networks now use and are often an integral part of the global, packet data network known as the Internet, and its hypertext services and facilities that are known as the World Wide Web. Many computer programs for particular tasks (“applications”) can be made available for use through the World Wide Web if they can be effectively accessed. For example, a Web-based network management system that is installed and executing in a managed network of an enterprise can be enhanced by linking it to other, external Web-based network management applications and tools that complement the principal network management system. An example of an external application is OpenView, commercially available from Hewlett-Packard Company, Palo Alto, Calif.
It is desirable to enable parties other than the manufacturer or vendor of the principal network management system, including the enterprise itself, to develop new applications and tools and connect them to the principal network management system. However, oftentimes, the external applications and tools do not inter-operate properly.
In one approach, to link the external web-based network management applications, engineers associated with the external application developer, the vendor, or the enterprise had to undertake significant, tedious, customized work. For example, the engineers had to build “install” routines, study and modify complex registry files or configuration files, and provide technical support to the enterprise, third party application developers, or end users. The effort had to be repeated with each change in the enterprise's network system. Thus, there had to be on-going maintenance and support to integrate or to link to the applications.
Another problem of this approach is that the routines and changes to the files could not be shared. Each time that a third party desired to connect its external application to a copy of the principal network management application of a different enterprise, the routines and changes to the configuration files had to be copied to that enterprise, installed, and tested.
Still another problem is if the underlying registry files and configuration files changed, the install routines and changes would not necessarily work. For example, if the vendor of the principal network management system released a new version of its system with modified registry file formats or contents, the third party application suddenly might not work because it had been connected to the old registry files or configuration files.
Moreover, each integration effort had to be packaged for the enterprise in a form that was comprehensible to its end users so they could carry out the integration.
Based on the foregoing, there is a need for a simple and inexpensive method or mechanism to automatically and correctly link external applications to enterprise network management systems.
There is also a need for a method or mechanism that minimizes the engineering and support effort required on the part of the manufacturer or vendor of the principal network management application to link Web-based external applications to the principal network management application. There is also a need for such a method or mechanism that is simple and inexpensive.
There is also a need for a method or mechanism that enables a third party to create and store a connection between the principal network management application and the Web-based external application, in which the connection continues to be valid even if the underlying registry syntax and structure changes.
There is also a need for a method or mechanism that enables such connections to be imported into or exported from the principal network management system, and generally shared across multiple installations.